Audience members have been sending in stellar reviews for K is for Kids Teen “Head to Toe” Fashion Show held at Barron Collier High School on December 10th. A standing ovation goes to event co-chairs, Erin Clawson, at left, and Ali Martin, both Gulf Coast High School students.
HOW TWO STUDENTS TEAMED TOGETHER TO CREATE A COUNTYWIDE COMMUNITY PROJECT & TEEN CHARITY EVENT TO BRING STUDENTS TOGETHER AND PROMOTE A GOOD CAUSE: LITERACY & LEADERSHIP
Erin Clawson (left) and Ali Martin, Founders and Co-Chairs of K is for Kids’ Teen Fashion Show (originally named K is for Kids’ Teen Head to Toe Fashion Show when it launched in December of 2011. Photo by John Esquivel.
Janelle Sventek, model chair and a junior student at Barron Collier High School contributed to the exceptional evening and performances.
K is for Kids’ spokespersons Erin Clawson, a student co-founder of K is for Kids, and Ali Martin, a member of the foundation’s first Teen Advisory Team, dreamed up the fashion show over the summer when student leaders meet to map up the upcoming fun’raising season. The two also had another goal that they felt was important — to invite students from all high schools to participate in the fun cause. “Ali and I felt it was important to invite teens from other schools,” explained Erin. “We were confident that the fashion show would be good outlet for kids to get involved with the foundation and to help children who are less fortunate have books to read. Teens need volunteer hours for school and college and this would be a fun way to get them,” pointing out that community service hours are not only required for Bright Future scholarships and for organizations like the National Honor Society, but are important for college applications as well.
Highlights from the Teen “Head to Toe” Fashion Show presented by Barron Collier High School and K is for Kids Foundation in partnership with Collier County Public Schools. The event was held in the auditorium of Barron Collier High School on Saturday, December 10, 2011. The inaugural teen community project was the brain child of two Gulf Coast High School students Ali Martin and Erin Clawson, who thought the fashion show would be a good way to help K is for Kids bring reading and books to impoverished children living in Collier County. The two seniors also had another important goal in mind, to help bring students from schools all around the county together.
It wasn’t long before the word got out through Facebook and other students came on board to help spread the word. Janelle Sventek, a senior and the student body president at Barron Collier High School, was amongst the first to sign up. She was also the student responsible for bringing the show to Barron Collier High School. After hearing about the different venues being considered at the model auditions, she told Erin and Ali that students at her school had also expressed interest in organizing a fashion show to help raise funds for students to attend prom, but that the project had not been able to move forward. Perhaps Erin and Ali might be interested in showcasing both causes and holding the event in the Cougars’ auditorium?
The girls were interested and asked K is for Kids’ founder and executive director Karen Clawson to make a phone call to the school’s principal, Tim Kutz. Janelle also suggested getting teacher Kelly Wilson involved, too, because the marketing, digital design and accounting teacher was known to be very involved in numerous student activities. Karen reached out to them and both Tim and Kelly embraced the project as a great way to provide ‘real world’ opportunities for students apply their talents, skills, and ideas to the community cause.
Ultimately the inaugural teen community project resulted in over 80 students volunteering from five Collier County high schools — Barron Collier, Golden Gate, Gulf Coast, Lorenzo Walker, Palmetto Ridge and St. John Neumann; Oakridge Middle school, Edison State College and Florida Gulf Coast University. Models walked the stage in fashions by Brooks Brothers at Waterside Shops, Cache’ at Waterside Shops and Cache’ on Fifth Avenue, Francesca’s Collection at Coastland Center mall in Naples, the Men’s Warehouse in Naples, Simply Natural at Mercato, and NGX Jewelers in Bonita Springs.
A young designer makes her fashion debut: l-r, Teen fashion designer Vivian Garza with other Golden Gate High School students who are modeling dresses that Vivian designed for an upcoming school play. Photo by K is for Kids.
It was a spectacular evening and the teens have many reasons to feel proud, as they pulled together to offer the audience Books and proceeds raised totaled almost $5,000 with another $3,300 donated by local businesses to provide prizes for the raffle and silent auction, refreshments at the reception, and food for the hungry volunteers.
And those 520 books collected at the show? The books were distributed that very week to five elementary schools and one middle school that are amongst the Collier County public schools participating in K is for Kids’ Rising Readers. The program encourages students to read while recognizing their reading achievements by placing new books into their hands for them to take home and keep.
Books were given for students at Golden Terrace Elementary Primary and Intermediate Schools in Naples; Pinecrest and Village Oaks Elementary Schools in Immokalee; East Naples Middle School; and Everglades City. All schools have over 80% of their students enrolled in lunch assistance programs. (See our “Top Stories” post to see how Stephanie Griffin, media specialist at Village Oaks Elementary School, dressed up as an elf and took the trolley of books donated by the teens to third grade classrooms. Each third grade student got to choose a book to take home and keep — and read over the holiday break).
To read more about the teens’ efforts, read Gulf Coast High School senior Doris Sacacian’s journal of the students’ progress during rehearsals at http://www.naplesnews.com/
K is for Kids Foundation wishes to express deep gratitude to both Ali and Erin for taking on a project of such magnitude. We also wish to thank Janelle and Kelli for their intensive time investment as well — they both donated countless contributions.
Also may we give our sincere appreciation to BCH students Carla Badame, publicity chair; digital design student Nina Cecere, who created the artwork for the show’s program and posters; Brittany Schult, who utilized her multiple talents as photographer plus lighting and sound designer; Gulf Coast High School seniors Doris Sacacian, who journaled the models’ progress during their first rehearsals; and Olivia McNally, the photographer for the models’ rehearsals.
The teens might never meet the children they have benefited nor fully realize the difference they have made in their lives, but they individually and as a team made a powerful positive impact on their community.
To each and every one who participated in the fashion show, thank you for making it such a success.
PLEASE STOP BY AND TELL OUR WONDERFUL SPONSORS AND DONORS HOW MUCH YOU APPRECIATE THEIR SUPPORT!